I am reading Queen's Arrow to Mom & Kibbie now. Mom really likes the book.
Mom has a hard time reading, because it is hard for her to hold the book open & her eye are still not right.
(Mom would prefer that I read her Steven King books, But That is NOT going to happen.
I do not read creapy.)

If you mom is have prolems reading regular print you maybe able to get her a talking book machine from the US Goverment. Virgina: Richman 1-800-552-7015 It's National Libary Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, The LIbary of Congress www.loc.gov/nls for more infomation in the USA!

I am an Ambassador for the Wisconsin Regional Libary for the Blind and Phyical Handicapped.

To bring this post up to current events:
Misty has, after almost 20 years, finally returned to writing Diana Tregarde stories! This October will see a new book, Trio of Sorcery, which will contain a novella centered on Diana. I'm looking forward to this - I have always loved the Diana Tregarde stories the best. She's also going to release another Elemental Masters book in the next couple of years, and that will be good stuff too.

Think I'll start checking her stuff out , I've only read a couple she's co-authored on, two of the Halfblood books, and one of the Ship books, The Ship who Searched I think, though didn't look at authors at the time. I've got to start paying closer attention to names on books. I did enjoy those books though, so could expand out a bit on reading her stuff.

Think I'll start checking her stuff out , I've only read a couple she's co-authored on, two of the Halfblood books, and one of the Ship books, The Ship who Searched I think, though didn't look at authors at the time. I've got to start paying closer attention to names on books. I did enjoy those books though, so could expand out a bit on reading her stuff.

To bring this post up to current events:
Misty has, after almost 20 years, finally returned to writing Diana Tregarde stories! This October will see a new book, Trio of Sorcery, which will contain a novella centered on Diana. I'm looking forward to this - I have always loved the Diana Tregarde stories the best. She's also going to release another Elemental Masters book in the next couple of years, and that will be good stuff too.

You know, I heard of that too, and it really surprised me. I'd taken away from her "The Last Straw" essay that she wasn't going to write another one due to the crazies coming out of the woodwork.

Turns out, I mis-remembered portions of it, and new ones didn't come out due to the series not being all that popular, and THAT set off the crazies. (Given that essay has a healthy heaping of rant to it, that's probably why I skimmed it and later mis-remembered.)

*nods* I remember that, too - the Tregarde books were all printed before the genre had any heavy following, and they just didn't sell well. Obviously, that's changed now, so they are worth it (to the publishers) to print. I'm glad to see more books about Diana - she's always been a favorite of mine. And I love the little tie-ins to her other urban fantasy series.

oh, i love all the Valdemar books-this including the Velgarth ones of gryphons and all. im always on the watch for new ones, or new collections, ever since i first saw "Arrows" in a bookstore, the month it came out. the owner knew i liked that kind of thing, and pointed me in the right direction, saying, that just came out, i think you're gonna love it". and i have, to the point of RPing Tarma and Kethry in online MMORPG Perfect World", and elsewhere. I also did them and a Herald in a private version of the game...Tarma is fun to play!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pam

She is an amazing writer, and for those of you that haven't read anything by her yet you should start with the Valdemar series. There are different orders you can read them in, but Mercedes Lackey herself recommends reading them in publication order. The first three books are Arrow of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall. For the rest of the list, go here

I have not read any of the Valdemar books. I started with her fairy tales - the 500 Kingdoms series (starts with The Fairy Godmother) and the Elemental Masters Series (The Serpent's Shadow). I also like the Elven Halfblood chronicles and the "Jousting Dragons" series (Joust).

I have finially read Intregs. It was good.
The only I don't like is some of the stuff mentioned is not what I would think would take place in that time and place. Mostly having to do with sports. I don't think that steeple chase and football would be played in a setting where most people work hard just to survive. I can see some of the knights contests takeing place, but, not steeplechace. It just does not seem to fit the midevile time setting. That may just be me tho.

__________________MEDDLE NOT IN THE AFAIRS OF DRAGONS, FOR YOU ARE CRUNCHY & GOOD WITH CHOCOLATE

I have finially read Intregs. It was good.
The only I don't like is some of the stuff mentioned is not what I would think would take place in that time and place. <snip>. I haven't read it yet, but the part about sports.
Mostly having to do with sports. I don't think that steeple chase and football would be played in a setting where most people work hard just to survive. I can see some of the knights contests takeing place, but, not steeplechace. It just does not seem to fit the midevile time setting. That may just be me tho.

Its keep them in shape, both the people and mounts, and football its a team sport, just my two cents, for I've read any of the books yet.

I'm reading Intrigues right now. Haven't finished it yet. I'm liking it pretty well. Of course she is repeating the theme of a new trainee who an awful lot of people just don't completely trust, like she did with Talia and much more with Alberich.

I was a little surprised by the sports thing, too, but not for the same reason. Not everyone in Valdemar is poor and working all the time to make a living. But it was just a bit repetitive of what happened in Exile's Valor, although I don't think it is going to lead to the same kind of rescue it did there. I don't know yet, though, because I'm not finished with the book.

The title fits the book, though, because it is obvious that there is a lot of intrigues going on.

I know not everyone is poor, but most people would be working most of the time. In order to play sport you would need a LOT of time for practices. Most people who would be willing play would be need for working. Even the rich kids are kept busy learning how to run a keep, learning fighting skills ect...

__________________MEDDLE NOT IN THE AFAIRS OF DRAGONS, FOR YOU ARE CRUNCHY & GOOD WITH CHOCOLATE

I was a little surprised by the sports thing, too, but not for the same reason. Not everyone in Valdemar is poor and working all the time to make a living. But it was just a bit repetitive of what happened in Exile's Valor, although I don't think it is going to lead to the same kind of rescue it did there. I don't know yet, though, because I'm not finished with the book.

This. She's done the 'make a sport for war games' subplot already, and fairly recently from a publication date standpoint. And it was way better done the first time. I don't want a play-by-play of a sports event in a book. That's what TV is for. Or the radio. Not my fantasy novels. It's not a war, I don't need to know who did what, especially since those details aren't plot-centric by any means. If you want to introduce a new game for your characters to play in order to help develop them be brief and touch over the highlights. Digging into the training sessions/games as deeply as she did is incredibly boring to read.

I came across a web site where writers have permitted some of their books up for free Ebook download. There are new writers and some well established ones as well. Most are the first book in a series so you can read it and if you like it you can then go out and but the other books in the series, Mercedes Lackey has Seven (7) of her books there if anyone wants to check out her work for free. Any way here's the link to the site.

Well, I've finished Intrigues. I did enjoy it, but.... It was a bit of Arrows of the Queen meets Exile's Valor meets Take a Thief. I don't know if I would have enjoyed it so much if I wasn't such a Valdemar fan. It was a bit juvenile, could have been a young adult book.

I'm re-reading the Urban Elves aka Elves on the Road books and wanted to know if anyone knows of a recommended reading order/chronological order list?
I've already reread the Elizabethan ones, and vaguely remember that the other series overlap each other somewhat. Could be wrong.
I'm also planning to include the Jinx High books as well, I understand they are related.

The Diana Tregarde books comes first, and then the only real overlap is in a couple of references at the start of the SERRAted Edge series to events that take place in Knight of Ghosts and Shadows. But here is a rough chronological reading order, as best I can remember:

Burning Water
Children of the Night
Jinx High (cameo by Tannim)
Bedlam Boyz (introduces Kayla and Elizabeth)
Knight of Ghosts and Shadows (1st books about Eric, cameo by Kayla and Elizabeth)
Summoned to Tourney (2nd book about Eric)
Born to Run (1st book about Tannim and Fairgrove Industries elves, mentions events in KoGS)
Stone Souls (2nd book about Fairgrove Industries elves, direct connection to events in Born to Run)
Wheels of Fire (3rd book about Fairgrove Industries elves)
Chrome Circle (2nd book about Tannim, direct connection to events in Wheels of Fire)
When the Bough Breaks (4th book about Fairgrove Industries elves)

Then there is a bit of a time jump, and the rest of the books are set something like 15 years later:
Beyond World's End (3rd book about Eric)
Spirits White as Lightning (4th book about Eric)
Mad Maudlin (5th book about Eric)
Music to My Sorrow (6th book about Eric)

There is also an anthology, which I haven't read, titled Bedlam's Edge. As I understand it, none of the characters already in the variosu series are present in those stories.

I finally started reading the Valdemar books. I read Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight and Arrow's Fall. (I'd read all of her fairy tale books, the Dragon Jousters books and the Halfblood Chronicles.)

I could tell it was some of her much earlier writing - the writing just isn't quite as good - but the storytelling and compelling characters were there, and I'm hooked...

I like the Elemental Masters series, but not living near a big box bookstore and not ordering unless it's something I REALLY want, I haven't been keeping up...I love the Valdemar short story collections and I'm pretty sure I'm one behind.